Chain guides are known for a variety of purposes. In one example, the chain may resemble a bicycle chain, may be moved by a drive sprocket, and may drive one or more driven or passive sprockets. The chain may provide energy for a purpose, such as to move product on an assembly line. A chain guide may constrain a chain to follow a particular course. The chain may be made of steel or other material, and be captured for movement along a particular course by the chain guide, which may be made of an ultra-high molecular weight material.
Such a course, defined by a chain guide, advantageously moves the chain in desired direction(s) and protects the chain. Additionally, the chain guide protects people, machinery and product from contact with the chain.
However, while the course within which the chain is captured may be advantageously defined, the chain guide itself may provide additional design constraints on systems engineers who must integrate a number of components into a working machine.